Perfection
by LittleMissNobody123
Summary: A series of one-shots about Sybil and Tom.
1. Chapter 1

This is going to be a fanfic of one shots dedicated to our favourite couple! I will take requests by PM or review, as well as thinking of my own and writing ones that fit to the stories behind either songs or parts from films!

I hope you enjoy this!


	2. Chapter 2 - A thousand years

**Time stands still **  
**Beauty in all she is **  
**I will be brave **  
**I will not let anything take away **  
**What's standing in front of me **  
**Every breath **  
**Every hour has come to this **  
**One step closer **

**I have died everyday waiting for you **  
**Darling don't be afraid I have loved you **  
**For a thousand years **  
**I'll love you for a thousand more **

_**Christina Perri - A thousand years**_

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He could still remember the moment he'd met her. How from the moment he'd looked up from the floor, tipping his chauffeur's hat lightly and holding out his hand, when blue met blue. When he looked into the eyes of that young girl and a spark had jolted through him. Like an electric shock but something different. How in that moment time had stood still and nothing around them had mattered. It didn't matter that he was a servant boy and that she was the daughter of an Earl. All that mattered was that he had laid eyes on the most beautiful girl in the world and he knew that he would never ever see anything as beautiful as the girl, the woman standing in front of him.

Of course he'd had to wait. She was young and naive and scared. Well, they were both scared. But he had to be brave and that's what he'd been brave. It took bravery to stand in front of her in that archway in York and ask for her hand. It took bravery to return to his position after he'd confessed he's love to his employer's daughter. It took bravery to even break the boundary in the first place, to give her those leaflets, to speak to her so informally, to hold her hand and to tell her "bet on me". Any other girl would have turned him away but she was different. She was an ordinary girl trapped in the body of an Earl's daughter.

He'd had to do it, he'd had to ask her. He couldn't let anyone take her away from him. He couldn't let anyone take away perfection when it was standing right in front of him. He'd been right as well. He'd been right to tell her how he felt because deep down she had those feelings too. She loved him too. They loved each other.

He had spent so many years pursuing Sybil Crawley and he felt like all his efforts, every work he had spoken, every breath, every hour had come to this. To this moment...

"Yes, my answer is that I'm ready to travel, and you're my ticket. To get away from this house, away from this life..." she giggled breathlessly.

"Me?" he whispered in disbelief.

"No. Uncle Tom Cobly" she teased gazing up at him through her eyelashes.

"I'm sorry, but I've waited so long for those words, that I can't believe I'm hearing them" he laughed along with her, all of his dreams were coming true. _**Every breath, every hour has come to this.**_ "You won't mind burning your bridges?" he asked, still doubt in his voice.

Sybil had to stop herself from rolling her eyes at him, "Mind? Fetch me the matches!"

That was all the prompt that Tom needed and he took one step closer to her pulling her in close to his muscular chest. His hands cupping her face as he gazed down at her with so much love in his eyes, more love than most will see in a lifetime.

"Yes", she breathed, her eyes fluttering shut, "You can kiss me. But that is all until everything is settled" she added, however she wasn't sure if it was for his benefit or her own.

Tom chuckled, "For now, God knows, it's enough that I can kiss you."

If Tom had thought that just the presence of Sybil Crawley was spell binding then nothing prepared him for the reality of kissing her. As his lips touched her soft ones, fireworks exploded inside of him and he knew that his heart and mind were completely devoted to this incredible woman. The wait for this moment had been a long and hard one, when she had told him she was "flattered" in York he felt like his whole being had been ripped in two. Like a part of him had died. Everyday that he was kept from her a little more of him had died inside _**I have died everyday waiting for**__**you.**_But now he felt complete, he felt whole. He knew that he was with his soul mate. They fitted together perfectly like to pieces of a puzzle. He was sure that he would love this woman for the rest of his life and deep down, he knew that he had always loved her. All of his failed relationships, no matter how many times he thought his hard had been broken were nothing more than a little tickle compared to the enormity of this relationship.

It would only be years later, when they were old and grey that they would discuss their true thoughts on this day. As they sat on the lawn, hands entwined watching over their grandchildren Sybil turned to Tom and asked him when he had fallen in love with her. He'd tell her how he'd always loved her from the moment he'd set eyes on her.

"Darling don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more".

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**I hope you enjoyed this! Please review... All ideas are welcome!**


	3. Chapter 3 - Need you now

**Picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor.**  
**Reaching for the phone 'cause I can't fight it anymore.**  
**And I wonder if I ever cross your mind?**  
**For me it happens all the time...**

**It's a quarter after one, I'm a little drunk and I need you now.**  
**Said I wouldn't call but I've lost all control and I need you now.**  
**And I don't know how I can do without.**  
**I just need you now.**

**Need you know - Lady Antebellum**

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A bleary eyed Tom sat on the bed he slammed his head against the wall. His whole body felt numb as he pulled his knees up to his chest and sobbed even more. How could he have been so stupid? It had only been a couple of days yet he already missed Sybil more than he could ever have imagined. It wasn't often that the two of them would have a serious fight, usually it was a heated debate over politics, but this time he'd crossed a line...

**__**_"Tom, it's just dinner with my family I don't know why you're getting so worked up about this" she sighed._

_"JUST dinner with your family, Sybil I wouldn't mind if it was JUST dinner with your family but there is no way in hell that I'm sitting at the other end of the table to your ex!" yelled Tom, rubbing calming circles on his forehead._

_"Why does it matter? He's my EX Tom, you're my current boyfriend, what are you so worried about?" demanded Sybil._

_"Giving him the satisfaction of knowing your boyfriend is some common journalist, that's all your kind of people care about isn't it? Titles and money, both of which I am lacking. Your family already hate me as it is, I can see your dad sat there now, smugly agreeing with him" he argued._

_"My kind of people. Oh for goodness sake Tom, YOU act like we're the stuck up people in society but you're the one who judges people before he's met them!" she fired back._

_"Oh and I'm sure your precious ex wouldn't be so ungentlemanly as to do that would he, I bet he's bloody perfect. Perhaps that's what this is all about, Daddy will finally get his way, kick me out of the picture and get the perfect couple back together."_

_"Do you have so little faith in my Tom, in our relationship?"_

_"I know that you're embarrassed by me, just look at the last family meal we went to."_

_"I am not embarrassed by you."_

_"Yes you are!" yelled Tom._

_Sybil sighed, "I'm not talking to you when you're in this sort of mood. I'm going to leave you to calm down."_

_"Fine then, leave, but don't think for one minute I'm coming to this dinner" he snapped._

_"Well Tom obviously the only person you care about is yourself. I shouldn't worry about coming to the dinner, in fact, I shouldn't worry about seeing my family ever again. Perhaps we should just stay away from each other for a while, no phone calls... Nothing." she said as she slammed the door._

It was a stupid argument and he'd not even been angry with her. He'd had a rough day at work and his anger had just been escalating. Now here he was crying over their failed relationship. Over the weekend he'd simmered down and after that the realisation of her final words had hit him. He assumed he'd blown it and now he was a right mess.

Tear stained eyes he looked at the pictures that scattered the floor of her smiling face. Her beautiful blue eyes staring up at him as she stood in an array of gorgeous dresses. There were pictures of her with curly hair, straight hair, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Be it with or without make up she looked beautiful and as Tom looked at all of the picture perfect memories his eyes filled with even more tears at the thought of all he had lost. Not only had he lost the love of his life but his best friend and soul mate.

He looked towards his mobile. He'd told himself over and over again not to call, not to bother her but he couldn't fight it anymore so he reached over and snatched the phone of his bedside table. He looked at the blank screen and she hadn't called. Did she care? Was she even thinking of him? Had the thought of trying to fix things even crossed her mind? But he knew he had to ring her, he had to try and fix this. Sybil Crawley was the best thing that had ever happened to him and he wasn't about to leave her.

Keying in her number he pressed the little green phone button and put the phone to his ear.

_Ring ring. Ring ring. Ring ring._

__"H-Hello?" came a sleepy voice.

"Syb" he said, running his hand through his hair, "I'm so so sorry love, I know I've really screwed things up between us and that I was a jerk and that you probably hate me and never ever want to see me again but..."

"Tom are you drunk?" asked Sybil.

"No... Well a little, but that doesn't mean that I don't mean what I'm saying it's just... I need you... I... I need you now" he whispered.

"Tom it's quarter past 1 in the morning" she giggled.

"I know" he said mistaking the humour in her voice, "And I know I said I wouldn't call but... I need you Syb" he said as he burst into tears, "I'm sooooo sorry about what I said"

Sybil hung up the phone. She hung up the phone. Tom let the phone slide from his hand and curled up on his side. He didn't know how long he was laid there crying but it felt like an eternity before he heard a noise in his flat. He was too tired and broken to care, that was until he felt something touch encircle him. Looking up he saw Sybil's arm wrapped around his waist as she nuzzled her face into the back of his neck.

"It's okay sweety, I'm here" she whispered, "I'm here."

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**Hope you enjoyed it! Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Collide

**I'm quiet you know**  
**You make a first impression**  
**I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind...**

**Even the best fall down sometimes**  
**Even the wrong words seem to rhyme**  
**Out of the doubt that fills your mind**  
**You finally find**  
**You and I collide**

**COLLIDE - HOWIE DAY**

* * *

_**Even the best fall down sometimes.**_He had been foolish and reckless. That is what had cost him his job and now he was being sent to work in England. His former employer had been kind. She'd written him a good reference even though she had fired him for refusing to drive around her oppressive son-in-law. His new employer's name was Lord Grantham... Another English oppressor? Not that he would have changed what he had done. After all he had only been standing up for what he believed in. So he'd been fired... Even the best fall down sometimes. Plus he had another job, even if it was in England...

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Doubt started to fill his mind as he boarded the ferry. He couldn't go to England. Not an Irish socialist like him. He couldn't work for the Grantham's. He couldn't work in England. He didn't want to go. His doubt did not leave him even as he set foot in England, but he knew he had no choice. He had no money and no other job prospect lined up. If he didn't go and work at Downton Abbey then he had no hope of changing the world.

He arrived there and met the staff. Pleasant on the whole. Next he'd met with Lord Grantham. Stuck up, old-fashioned but a decent man. But could he really drive these people around? He floated through life in that first week, making up his mind to leave and changing it just as quickly.

His whole attitude changed when he met her. He may not believe in love at first sight but this woman had taken his breath away. His doubt had started to fade as soon as his path with this beautiful woman collided.

I can give it a few more weeks he thought.

* * *

She was quiet in the beginning. Ever since he had handed her those pamphlets on women's rights he knew that he was going to be the main person pursuing their relationship, after all, he was the one with nothing to lose.

He had hated the way she acted at first, before he came to accept it. Her people were different to his. She had been taught to hold her emotions inside whilst he had always worn his heart on his sleeve.

* * *

She knew that he was always the one pushing the conversation between the two of them... The one pushing and breaking the boundaries. She knew it had frustrated him, her silence. He was the one who had made the first impression, the declaration of his love to her at York. She'd had to stay quiet, she had to say she was flattered. She, a lady, could not have such feelings for a chauffeur, surely? Even if she did have feelings for him she couldn't express them and he knew that. She wasn't ready, she was still too young to be sure of her own emotions, she couldn't give her heart so easily... Not when there was so much to lose. She knew over the coming years that he noticed her silence, how she kept quiet on the subject of 'them'.

She'd found it difficult. It wasn't easy to accept that she controlled somebody's thoughts as much as she controlled his. She'd found that she was scared to know she was always on his mind. Scared to know that he felt so much for her when she was so unsure. The problem was she wasn't unsure of her feelings. She always knew, from the moment she couldn't let him hand in his resignation upon leaving her at York that she was already as much in love with him as he was with her.

She was just too afraid to admit it.

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**Please review!**


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